I live in the People’s Republic of Massachusetts, so most of the people I encounter outside my sphere of acquaintances are liberals (although there are more conservatives up here than one would think)
I have some people I respect and appreciate, even though we are as far apart politically as can be.
In particular, I worked with a woman (just retired) who was one of the most brilliant people I know...and a liberal. (I know...I know...just bear with me) We worked closely for years, and she would ask me questions about why conservatives took a particular view on something, so I was her window into the conservative mind.
We went out for dinner one night (I took her, to thank her for helping me with a project) and she asked some pointed questions, which I responded to at length, everything from conservative economics, foreign affairs, 2nd Amendment rights, the media, immigration, personal freedoms, homosexuality, everything. She let me talk for perhaps a half hour straight, and just listened.
She actually listened.
She couldn’t rebut anything I said, because I had the facts on my side, and when I was done, she asked how it was that I had such an in depth understanding of so many issues, and I said: “Because it is my duty as a citizen to have an understanding of these things (as best as I am able) in order to intelligently participate in government by the people.”
She respected that.
Now, on a humorous note, I work with another woman who is a raging liberal, and she somehow didn’t know I was about as far away politically from her as two people could possibly be. But we work together fine.
During the lead up to the 2008 election, I was working on a project (with my other liberal friend) and we had to enter a bunch of test patients into one of our systems. As a nod towards me, my friend created a test patient named “ALASKA, SARAH”, which we used again and again for testing.
At one point, this other liberal woman came over and began ranting: “I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL THIS ELECTION IS OVER, SO I WON’T HAVE TO SEE THAT WOMAN’S NAME AGAIN!” (Referring to Sarah Palin)
At this, I calmly said “Well. I hope she wins, because I would LIKE to see more of her name.”
This other woman looked at me...her mouth dropped open in amazement, and she stammered “...you...you...you’re...you’re one of THEM!”
It wasn’t an act! She was SHOCKED! How could this nice, competent man be...a CONSERVATIVE! Why, I probably voted for BUSH and DICK CHENEY and supported HALLIBURTON!
What a frikking riot! She was dumbfounded!
Some people just think their identity is politics which, of course, it isn’t.
It is an expression of your ideals.
hence the rager.
Oh, and I am in the Western People’s Republic, Kah-lee-fahwn-ee-ah.
So do you think of these people as your enemies? I’ve seen some posters here advocated re-education, prison, or execution for Liberals. I live in NJ and think that such a solution is unworkable, first of all. What do you think the solution to the increasing “Us v Them” debate is?
Did you ever talk politics with the first woman again? And did you ask her why *she* believed what she did, or was it all just you showing her the light while she listened? (In that case, I would argue that you didn’t convince her so much as she just kept her mouth shut.)